The CiCi. Photo: LeNell Smothers

Alabama-born LeNell Smothers defines herself first and foremost as a bartender, but she's been called many things -- most recently, the proprietress of LeNell's liquor store. She's owned her own whiskey label called Red Hook Rye and been recognized by her home state as an honorary Colonel. Other interests include gin, sin and men.

My man and I just closed on a cozy little house in La Paz, Mexico that we lovingly named Casa Cóctel. While working on the lettering for the Casa Cóctel logo, I was reminded of a cocktail my pal Ben and I made up several years ago called the CiCi -- a blend of cachaça and Campari.

Sweetness often pairs well with bitterness so we went for the pure cane sweetness of a well-made cachaça but added in a touch of Campari, an Italian bitter aperitif made with orange.

All cachaça is made from the distillation of fresh pressed juice from sugar cane which puts it in the rum family. Most rum is made from molasses, the byproduct of sugar production, but cachaça is a distinctly Brazilian spirit. It is typically clear in color, but we do have some aged versions imported into the U.S. They get their darker golden color from time spent wood barrels.

Many cachaças on the market are mass produced and a bit harsh. Like all spirit categories, cachaça brands are not created equal. When I discovered really good cachaça through a friend nicknamed "Cachaça Dave," inspiration came for experimenting with cocktails outside of the traditional Caipirinha drink of sugar, lime and spirit.

For the CiCi, I dried some orange peels and then made a sugar rim for my drink with the pulverized peels and powdered sugar. This rim brings out the bitter and sweet flavors of the Campari mixed with the cachaça.

Orange Sugar

Peel two organic oranges. The more of the white pith you have on the peel, the more bitter the sugar will be. Navel oranges will have thicker peels than Valencia oranges.

Dry orange peels until all moisture is gone. You can leave them to air-dry, or for a speedier process, put them on a tray in an oven heated to a low temp of around 250 degrees F with the door slightly open. If you oven dry, check every 15 minutes to make sure they do not turn too brown or burn.

Pulverize peels with a cup of sugar in a blender or coffee grinder.

CiCi
2 ounces cachaça
1/2 ounce Campari

Shake the spirits with ice. Rim your chilled cocktail glass with the orange sugar. Pour in the chilled spirits.